


Skip the Pleasantries

by FullmetalReborn



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alpha Shiro (Voltron), Alpha everyone tbh, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Dubious Consent, F/M, I really want a single parent difficulty fic so here it is, Keith (Voltron)-centric, Keith has a baby, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Keith (Voltron), Omega Pidge, There's a lot of platonic relationships here, except pidge, i swear theres reasons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-26
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2019-03-09 07:03:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13476213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullmetalReborn/pseuds/FullmetalReborn
Summary: Staring at the cow on the other end of the pregnancy test, giving him a creepy smile with white luscious hair, (Pidge had some damn weird tastes but the saint actually went to purchase them for him so he couldn't complain) makes him want to strangle past him.Pidge sat down by his starfished body and looked at the stick (‘I peed on it. Please don't put it so close to your face.’) “Looks like you have a little gremlin.”





	1. That's Fair (Part One)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nutella0Mutt](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nutella0Mutt/gifts).



> Here's another self-indulgent I really need to vent Fic!  
> It's also a gift for Nutella0mutt, who when I told the plot of this got excited about it! So here it is! It's taken me ages to start up. (The bae,,,,,uhm)  
> REMINDER: There is a hint towards dub con at the beginning of the fic! Please keep that in mind!!  
> More notes at the bottom.

The first thing they teach young Omegas is the consequences of a heat.

Obviously, they go into gory detail about pregnancy, birth, and the bundles they bring into the world.

They also explain how vulnerable an Omega is during heat. Keith knows the regular stigma around heats and Omegas. They are labeled with the inability to move forward in aggressive career choices and told they couldn’t make tough decisions due to the hormones clogging their brains from heat.

The second thing they teach Omegas is to only share their heats and cycles with those they can trust.

It’s a debated topic and Keith never had interest in really throwing himself into it. He enjoyed his heats if he had a partner to spend it with. It was frowned upon for Omegas to fool around instead of finding someone to settle down with but he figured if Alphas could do it without any issues then so could he.

It didn’t mean he was stupid about it though. His dad had been a huge advocate on sexual safety before his disappearance. He took the necessary precautions in making sure that the people he hooked up with clean. He was on strict birth control and made sure condoms were used.

Keith liked heat sex more then regular sex. Heat sex had him juiced on hormones but if his partner was good to him, it was beneficial to the both of them. But heat sex was always a risk. If anyone even remotely touched a sensitive area of his around his heat, he was putty and immediately at their mercy. The only times he enjoyed that was when he knew the other person well enough.

Sex was sex and it was good if his partners realized that and took care of it accordingly.

His first mistake was trusting Rolo with his heat. Rolo hadn’t been a one time partner. Occasionally they hooked up when Keith was stressed and needed to blow some steam off. Rolo was fairly a nice guy.

He had a fast approaching heat with little time to plan (School was stressing him out and he just wanted to feel good) so he put it into Rolo’s hands.

The minute he fell into preheat, Rolo had put a hand on the back of his neck, pressed gently and made Keith sink into a daze of hormones and lust.

He wouldn’t be able to remember exactly what happened after that. Rolo kept him submissive and compliant even when two others joined his group. It felt good in the haze of the heat and when it was all over, Keith was very much satisfied.

But Rolo wasn’t able to handle the fallout.

Keith wreaked havoc on him (as did Pidge when she learned what had happened without his permission). He had to be dragged out of the hotel room by the security guard with Rolo bruised up and bleeding. Keith felt white hot anger that he had been taken advantage of like that.

He might have agreed to the circumstances had Rolo just fucking _asked_ him but doing it when he was most vulnerable felt like a sick punch to the gut. Anytime the guy was mentioned he wanted to cave his face in.

He couldn’t remember the names of the others who had joined him and wasn’t even sure if they had been made aware of his consent or not. But he did remember someone with long white hair and someone with a tongue that just _did things_ to him.

Finding out he was pregnant wasn't as stressing as he thought it would be.

It was the asshole Alphas he tracked down that refused to give him the time of day that stressed him out.

Staring at the cow on the other end of the pregnancy test, giving him a creepy smile with white luscious hair, (Pidge had some damn weird tastes but the saint actually went to purchase them for him so he couldn't complain) makes him want to strangle past him.

He thinks, okay I can do this.

Three hours later he's flinging a lamp across the room when the last guy claims no responsibility and has the audacity to say it wasn’t his (and honestly Keith had no idea whose it was but hoped it wasn’t Rolo's or he would have issues with the guy).

Pidge sat down by his starfished body and looked at the stick (‘I peed on it. Please don't put it so close to your face.’) “Looks like you have a little gremlin.”

“Too bad it's not you.” He grumbled, raising a hand to rub at his eyes tiredly. “Cows? Really?”

“To be honest, I thought you were fucking with me.”

And _okay_ , “That's fair.”

They sit in silence, the white stick seeming to become more and more ominous as time ticked by.

“Penny for your thoughts?” She asked gently, legs tucked to her chest.

Keith twists the words over in his mouth, thinking out sentences and failing to convey what he really wants to. He feels dread, angry, tired and… scared.

He thinks about the research he did earlier, the horrors and the blogs of angry Omega parent's screaming about ‘I'm pro-choice but it's a defenseless baby!’ contradicting bullshit.

He thinks of Pidge, another Omega who is signed up for getting her tubes tied. They moved out of the dorms together, found a two-bedroom apartment and did everything together. His best friend, confidant, and pain in his ass.

And right now, he doesn't even know where to begin with this new mess.

“I'm trying to become an astrophysicist. I want to make a difference, discover something new, be taken seriously.” He says it carefully again, weighing the words on his tongue. None of them make him feel good. “I'm… stuck.”

He sat up, stretching out his limbs in an attempt to gather himself. They're in the middle of his messy bedroom where he had paced, yelled in frustration and destroyed his lamp (A gift from Pidge’s brother… he wasn't going to let Matt know he had broken the damn thing. It was a crappy gag gift of a cowboy and the American flag because obviously since he was born in Texas it had to be exaggerated).

“Pidge, the chances of me getting into the program were slim. They aren't going to allow me to stay when I tell them this.” He stared at the wall in front of him even when Pidge gave a hum, sitting up and scooting closer to him. She linked his arm with hers and pulled out her phone.

The thing was the size of a brick and she had made it herself (it used to be an old smartphone she took apart and fixed again, at least he didn't have to make her take pepper spray. The thing was heavy enough to break a window and knock someone out). She flicked through a few pages and typed out some stuff. Just like the best friend she is, she does research for him in order to reassure him or give him the cold hard truth.

“Actually, they can't do shit. There's actually a law protecting you from that. However, if your academics and GPA start falling they can throw you out.” She saved whatever she was looking at, turning her big eyes over to him. “So what's your thoughts now?”

And okay, so she had reassured him. If he could juggle a kid, schoolwork and a job he might be able to complete his career. He was a hard worker, he had been since his dad disappeared off the face of planet and Keith realized alpha's were straight up assholes who literally could not be trusted. If he wanted something done, he had to do it himself.

He pushed his hair from his face, grimacing at how greasy it felt. He needed a shower and probably some food. They were nearing the end of the spring semester (finals were in a week!) and he wasn't planning on taking summer classes (he was going to work a job with Matt in an attempt to build up some internship hours). He probably won't be in trouble until the fall semester. And even then, it all came down to what he decided.

He had read forum after forum and found obscure blogs that spoke about the hard decision on deciding whether to go through with the pregnancy or terminate it. He knew the longer he waited the harder it would get. He didn’t even need to tell anyone what he was deciding. Only Pidge would know and Pidge always supported his decisions. Hell, she'd probably find him the best place to get it done.

He feels it burning up in his thoughts and he's pissed, tired and wants to scream in frustration. He rubs his fingers together, seeing Pidge tense up in curiosity as he calms himself down.

“You have to speak to me, Keith. Just let me know what you're thinking.” Her gaze is wide and honest. She's the undying support he always pushed away from his life. When things got hard that was just his reaction. Sometimes it really sucked. But she always saw right through him.

He's so worried about his career, about what this means to him as an Omega in the STEM field. He's thinking of his future, of his dreams and then thinks of the god damn Alpha’s who just wiped their hands clean even when they had a part to play with the bundle of cells growing inside him.

Why did this have to be the end of his career? Why did it have to be treated as a death sentence? Why did the Alpha get to go off Scot free when his damn penis was the reason it happened anyways?! The Alpha wasn't worried about getting kicked out. The Alpha wasn't worried about having to be told day in and day out he should be sacrificing himself for a kid.

And where was the line between sacrificing everything for this kid and sacrificing only to give this kid a fighting chance?

What life would this kid have if Keith decided to give up?

It wasn't fair.

The stigma against Omegas for giving up their careers on unplanned pregnancies baffled him. It baffled him even more that when they didn’t give up their careers for their kids they're still given shit for not being a good parent. They're stigmatized and ostracized, because “ _they couldn't close their legs_.” Why were the Omegas always the ones that were picked on (Alphas never got shit and Betas weren't treated as harshly as they were)?

Keith wasn't going to give up and he wasn't going to give in. Omegas didn't deserve that shit. He had his entire life ahead of him. If he so happened to have a baby tucked to his chest the entire time that was fine. Because he could do this without an Alpha and still kick all their asses.

“I think the little gremlin is gonna need an actual name and some clothes and a bed.”

Pidge stared at him, eyes searching his face before she smiled. Her eyes softened, just a bit, as she held out her fist for him to bump. “As long as I'm not in charge of diapers I think we'll be good.”

* * *

 

He does eventually tell her his bitter thoughts on the situation. She listens in rapt attention, swallowing every word and agreeing. ‘Examples always start somewhere.’ she reassured.

It's not a walk in the park either. Letting Pidge’s family know about the pregnancy does have its draw backs.

Keith met the Holt family when he had been fostering with another family in the same area. Pidge had gone to the same high school as him and they hit it off despite Keith’s standoff appearance and ability to attract fights and bad luck.

Actually, she had first started talking to him when Keith had been thrown into a utility closet with some jock and Keith had been planning to suck his dick. She threw the door open and said, “He has herpes dude!”

And the rest was history.

The Holt family became his home. Colleen and Samuel had taken care of him like he was their own kid and Matt had been the awkward older brother who took them out on trips to weird places. Honestly, Matt was cool (he was also a total dork and Keith may or may not have had a crush on the guy because of how easy he was to talk to).

But the minute he told her parents, they assumed he had signed a death certificate and that only served to piss him off more. Dr. Holt had patted his shoulder and told him he should have been more careful (despite them knowing exactly what had happened that had led to the pregnancy). Keith kindly told him this wasn't stopping him from finishing his career.

But he honestly couldn’t blame them. They came from a traditional background. Colleen was a Beta married to an Alpha. Samuel had come from an Omega-Alpha household. They still didn't understand why Pidge didn't want to have any kids. But Matt was at least more open minded. He had nodded, stared at Keith’s stomach with squinted eyes (he was in graduate’s school, finishing his final projects for his degree and was probably low on sleep and actual rest that didn't involve formulas and needless studying). He had only whispered ‘right now it has a tail. Let that sink in.’ and Keith thankfully walked off before Matt’s head hit the table in exhaustion.

Mrs. Holt had always been his favorite. She was a kind woman who took him in despite his issues. She always helped him out when she could and at the news had tried to tell Keith maybe it wasn't such a good idea to stay in the S.T.E.M. field. She knew a wayward house that could take him in and help him out. She had also told him to consider adoption.

“I'm not doing that to this baby.” Keith had whispered, feeling hurt that this woman would tell him that. “Not after someone decided I wasn't worth sticking around for.”

She had backed off, looking resigned and even guilty. But it grew on them when Pidge started shooting him texts that apparently her mom was window shopping at baby stores.

Keith signed up for fall classes, met up with Matt for his internship and continued his life best he could. There were drawbacks. His body was tired and parts of him ached and swelled that were beyond annoying.

They went to a prenatal clinic that wasn't too far from their apartment but far enough away to avoid some judgmental stares.

Keith enjoyed the visits because Pidge treated him to frozen yogurt afterwards, letting him pile on the gummy worms (only the red and yellow ones, he had a craving for those specifically).

“Gummy worms are the worst thing you can eat right now.” She accused before stuffing six of them into her mouth like a savage.

There wasn't an issue during his first trimester and he easily transitioned into his second. He had gained weight but it wasn't anything too concerning at first. Pidge was surprisingly very supportive even if he expected nothing else. She sent him pictures of cute baby outfits Keith was sure she was hoarding in her bedroom. When he had nightmares, she snuggled up in bed with him until he fell asleep with her presence.

She went to all his appointments and made sure they were doing the absolute best they could. They even started changing their diet.

But he knew there were things she would keep to herself when it came to him. She was sweet like that sometimes. If her parents were putting ideas into her head about him she would never tell him and he would be none the wiser about it. But he knew Pidge and he knew she needed to talk about whatever shit she was getting from her parents.

He asked her about it when his stomach had started to round out. He was leaned back against a mountain of pillows, feet propped up on the couch with her in a pile of blankets on the floor playing video games.

He was reading some material for work Matt had brought over and was content with the lazy atmosphere of the house. So, he decided it was the best time to urge her to tell him what she was keeping from him. She caved quickly.

“My mom took me out and talked to me.” She started, her fingers were fast on the buttons, her distress showed by the amount of hits she was taking on screen. “She said, ‘Katie, you know Keith better. You have to know he's too young for this, he can't raise a baby by himself!’ So, I said, ‘he's not mom! _We_ are raising this baby!’”

She blew her bangs out of her face as her player died. She didn't restart the game, not just yet. Her jaw was set, and he knew she was pissed. “So, she went on a rant, said I was too young. This was a big responsibility and I didn't understand. And I mean, what was there to understand? You're gonna have a baby. You decided on this baby and that's that. I said she's upset because you're still trying to get a degree. She’s like, it's improper. So, I said, it's just as improper as me taking suppressants despite them having the off chance of making me sterile!”

She finally turned, leaning on the couch to stare at him closely. “She tried finding every reason she could think of on why you can't raise this baby. And, it pissed me off! Why can't you raise it? Why can't you raise it and get your degree? Because of some stupid gender roles that say you must mate someone and let them provide for you? That’s such bullshit! You're independent! We're independent! You’re getting this degree, so this kid has a better life! Sure, it was an accident, but it was your decision. And it’s not like we can’t provide for it! You could have done whatever you wanted but you decided to bring this kid into the world so why do they get to decide what to do with it?!”

Keith opened his arms and she climbed onto the couch with him. It was a bit of a tight squeeze and he grunted when they both realized his belly was getting in the way of their hug.

“I know it's gonna be hard. It's another life, one completely dependent on us. And I'm okay with that. No one knows if they're gonna be able to raise a kid, right? They try their best. They communicate, and they do all they can to make sure that kid grows up to its full potential.” She buried her face in his neck. “We’re gonna raise this baby. Me and you. It's your choice, not theirs. They need to stop trying to decide what’s best for you when only _you_ know what’s best for you! It's not fair.”

He squeezed her and wondered what he did to deserve someone as amazing as Pidge. She was one of the only friends he had and here she was, pulling through for him when he wasn't sure what he was doing. He buried his face in her hair, smelling her lavender scented shampoo(and bummed off of him, actually).

She has presented late. Late, as in her first heat was in their dorm room in college where she refused to move from because she was trying to beat a level in a video game. She was firmly against heats, telling him she didn't want kids. ‘Doesn't mean I hate them,’ she had said. ‘It just means I don't want any of my own. Can't handle that. But if my friend had a kid, oh I'm so ready!’

They had joked Keith would have the kids for her (and if she had really, really wanted him to, he would have in a heartbeat). It was almost eerie how that had come out to play.

Her mom was upset that Pidge didn't want kids. She had been devastated when Pidge wanted to get her tubes tied. Colleen wanted grandkids and Pidge promised she’d get them, just not through her stomach apartment.

(Matt could give them to her, but Colleen said it wasn't the same.)

“Thank you.” He said, feeling her breath against his throat. “For respecting my choice and being here for me. There's no one I trust more.”

She giggled, “This kid needs at least one sensible parent.”

He whacked her in the back of the head for that one.

A few days later, as he was transferred from the clinic to an actual hospital, he had just gotten into the car when Pidge smacked a book down on the dashboard, sliding it over for him. Her grin was wide and her eyes almost glowing.

“I just took a crash course in child development! I am totally ready for this kid!”

The laughter that bubbled out of his chest felt more genuine then anything he had laughed at since he found out he was pregnant.


	2. That's Fair (Part two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being the one pregnant omega in a school of high elite Alpha assholes leads to... complications.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to get through the pregnancy quickly but we got at least one more chapters before that happens and Shiro officially comes into the picture.  
> So enjoy! Thanks for the positive feedback! It means to much to me!  
> and thanks to Nutella0mutt for beta reading for me and helping me adjust and tweak some stuff!

With his second trimester came the fall semester. He was on top of his classes, buying his textbooks and learning about the professors from Matt. He took a job at the discount store not too far from campus (he took the car on the days he worked, and Pidge loathed it) and worked during his free hours.

His professors didn't show him an ounce of sympathy and he felt the wiggle room in classes close up tight around him. He started showing through even his largest shirts and even if he had tried to hide it, their suspicious stares were annoying.

But he took care to ask questions, to visit the library, and study for hours on end. His life was busy and hectic and despite his body growing another tiny human, he never lagged behind the others in his classes.

During the second major exam for his Calculus 3 class, he failed.

He chewed on the end of his pen, staring at the red F branded on his paper. He glanced around, seeing classmates with passing grades. He focused on his exam and wrote out the problems and solved them again, only to come up with the same numbers. He was confused and panicking just a bit. He had to pass his classes with flying colors to ensure the Garrison couldn’t do a thing to him.

The teacher started to review the answers and his eyebrows drew together.

His answers were right.

As everyone packed up he stuffed his notes away and stalked up to the front. “Excuse me, professor, I think you might have marked some of my answers wrong.”

The professor raised his eyebrows, looking at the exam Keith had put on his desk before shaking his head. “Nope, that's right.”

“What?” He asked, in disbelief.

The professor turned away. “I marked that correct. You didn't receive full credit for it.”

“Why not? I did the work, showed it and got the answers right.” He fought to keep himself in check.

“Yes, but not full credit.”

“Why?” He stared, one hand curled around the strap of his backpack.

He watched as the professor stared downwards to his abdomen, making Keith hunch over, feeling something close to shame flood through him. He felt even worse for feeling that.

“I think we know why.” He said, calmly getting up and picking up his stuff. “Carry on, Kogane.”

Furious, he snatched up the test. He felt tears building in his eyes and hissed at himself for being so easily swayed.

He stayed up with Pidge (as much as he could before exhaustion made him curl up under the blankets) and argued and ranted. There was no way the professor could even do that. It wasn't fair and was straight up discrimination.

Pidge printed out the academic policies and the syllabus of the teacher, and they both reviewed it until she had an idea.

“Find someone to challenge it with you.” She said, jabbing a pen at him as he yawned and sipped on some tea (sometimes he missed being able to drink caffeine in order to stay up). “If he still refuses, take it to the Dean of the department.”

When he went to class he had tried his best, but Alphas weren't known for their consideration, especially in the S.T.E.M field.

Finally, fed up, he walked up to one of the taller Alpha's in the class. The guy was hunched over his desk, working on something with his hair pulled into a high ponytail. Keith shifted from foot to foot before clearing his throat.

The Alpha looked up, blinking at Keith and giving a nervous smile. “Uhhh, hi?”

“Look,” Keith flushed, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “I… can I see your previous exam?”

The guy blinked and nodded. He took out the exam to show a perfect A. Oh boy. He was smart. Keith yanked the chair from beside him and sat down carefully. He didn't miss the way the Alpha’s eyes had sized him up.

He dumped his bag onto the desk and pulled out his test to show it to the other. “I need to ask for a favor.”

“Ummmm?”

Keith pushed the paper over to him, seeing his eyes fall onto the F and then at the answers. His eyebrows furrowed as he took it from Keith and flipped through the pages.

“Dude, that’s a perfect A.”

“I know!” Keith exclaimed, already exasperated. He rubbed at his forehead and leaned close. “I went to check with the professor and he refuses to give me full credit. So, I want to know if you’ll come with me to like, show he’s wrong about my test.”

“Wait.” The black-haired male frowned, looking up from the test at Keith. “Why does he refuse to give you full credit?”

Keith blinked hard at him before leaning back and resting a hand on his stomach. He didn’t have to say a word because the other flushed hotly and turned back to the paper.

But he stopped and turned back. “Wait. That’s not right. He refused to give you credit cause you’re pregnant? He can’t do that.”

For a second, Keith had thought the Alpha  would say it was because he was fat, so he was pleasantly surprised that wasn’t the case. The fact he looked so perplexed over the situation felt like a breath of fresh air. He was used to those sidelong glances he got in the halls and the way people snubbed their nose at him. Group work was a pain when no one wanted to associate with the pregnant problem case.

“Yeah. He  _ can _ do that. That's a thing. So, will you help me out?” He felt a little bitter about asking an Alpha for help but he didn't really have a choice. This was the one guy who really looked at him as a student and not whatever terrible judgemental label people had thrown on him.

“Sure, of course I'll help you out.”

* * *

His name was Hunk. He was large, with dark skin and dark eyes. But he smelled like cookies and peppermint, which was weird, but not revolting like the scents the others in the class gave off.

Keith was still closed off, but Hunk seemed decent enough to carry on a conversation. He didn't even mind Keith’s awkward grunts as a response.

When class ended they walked up to the professor, who beamed at Hunk.

“What can I do for you?”

“Yeah, I looked over Keith’s midterm exam and we both have the right answers, but he has a lesser grade. Was there a mistake?”

Keith watches the professor give him a look and stare down at the paper Hunk put in front of him.

“There was no mistake.” The professor said before sighing and giving his focus to Hunk. “Mr. Garrett, this class is the hardest to get into and the hardest to pass. We accept the elite into this course. We want young scholars who are actually serious about wanting their degree, not teenagers who haven't gone to a sex Ed, class.”

Keith felt a curl of anger race up to his chest, making him throb.

“We want to plan for the future, not have accidents.”

Keith was ready to step in and fight, not willingly to be told off and humiliated by a stuck up asshole professor.

“You, Mr. Garrett show that drive to graduate. You're not fooling around.”

“Yeah, whoa. How do you know that?” Hunk raised a hand in a placating gesture, eyes squinted at the professor. Keith couldn't read the guy, but his tone of voice made his anger fade for a second.

The professor blinked in confusion. “Know… what exactly?”

“Know I'm not fooling around. Cause like, all you've done is give me a bunch of bull about some supposed justified reason you aren't treating Keith fairly. Why, cause he's having a baby?”

The professor was stunned as was Keith. Was… was Hunk  _ defending _ him?

“Well, yes. Families take up a lot of time and attention. If he's not willing to-"

“Yeah, stop there.” Hunk waved him off, eyes narrowed. “I have kids. What's the difference? I'm still here doing my best despite having accidents, at home.”

Keith stared at Hunk because he was fairly certain the guy didn't even have a significant other.

Professor blinked, attempting to get his thoughts together. “That's… that's  _ different _ . You're getting your degree to better their lives.”

“Funny thing there, it sounds like you have a double standard. There's no difference between us getting our degrees. Whether we have kids or not. He's working his ass off for his kid like I am. The only issue is you're discriminating on him ‘cause he's an Omega who doesn't wanna stay home and raise kids.”

“I'm, I’m not discriminating!” The professor exclaimed, flushed red even as Hunk stayed calm and collected.

The only thing running through Keith’s head was  _ oh my god, what the fuck _ ??

“Then you shouldn’t have an issue fixing Keith’s score, man.” Hunk looked like he was in his element, jaw clenched and eyes blazing.

“I’m not doing it.” The professor hissed, sounding like a petulant child.

Hunk scooped up the document in question and turned to gently nudge Keith forward. “Awesome, let's take it to the Dean's then.”

They left the professor sputtering and knew they were going to be on the guys hit list for the rest of the semester.

Hunk’s hand was warm on his shoulder (even if Keith recoiled a bit, not too comfortable with an Alpha that close to him and his neck) and the minute the door closed behind him he released Keith and let out a breath of air.

“Yeah so, I may have gotten a little mad at the guy. How are you? I didn't mean to like, talk about you like you weren't there.” Hunk laughed nervously.

“It's fine.” Keith reassured, voice cracking on the second word. He felt like crying for some reason. Damn these pregnancy hormones. “I… It’s the first time someone's stood up for me since, ya know.”

He rested his hands on his sides, looking down at his growing baby bump. Keith couldn’t help but think the Alpha was only helping him because he was reacting to the presence of a distressed Omega, despite Hunk’s initial friendliness. “That professor’s going to be after me for the rest of the semester.”

“Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I might have made it worse.”

“No, Hunk.” He took in a deep breath. “If my GPA even drops a bit, the garrison has full power to kick me out. I can't afford that when I'm so close!”

He nervously ran a hand down his front before scowling and turning to Hunk. “Just when I think I have everything planned out and on track some bullshit happens, that's just  _ so _ unfair.”

Hunk looked uncomfortable and Keith felt himself instantly recoil. “No yeah, never mind. I'll figure something out. Thanks for trying though.”

He hoisted his bag higher up, turning and ready to head home. But Hunk grabbed ahold of his shoulder.

Keith tensed, flinching away from the hand as Hunk gave a yelp. “Sorry! Sorry! I just, I said I was gonna help you out, let’s go to the dean.”

Keith looked at him, seeing the way he held out his hands and gave Keith space. “Go to the dean? Hunk, he’s gonna keep doing this no matter what.”

“Then we keep going to the dean no matter what.” Hunk sighed, looking at him with a frown. “I don’t mind going with you every single time if I have to. You’re smart and you deserve to be here.” He shrugged, “Having a kid doesn’t mean your intelligence changes. It’d be kind of terrible if it did.”

“You can’t be serious.” Keith tried. There was no way Hunk would continue with this. He was lucky he had Pidge with him but he had never met someone not related to her willing to help him out. He must be projecting distress like crazy. 

“Well, alright. We might both have to deal with an asshole professor who hates our guts which, is probably bad for our future classes… Okay so it’s kind of a shit situation.” Hunk crossed his arms over his chest and smiled, not looking at all pensive and worried as he did a second ago. “But it’s better that we go through it together then do it alone.”

Keith stared, shocked before blurting. “You have kids?”

Hunk snorted, walking down the hall and shaking his head. “Of course I don’t.”

* * *

Hunk may have looked cool and brave for the first few days Keith had met him. But shortly after  his true colors showed. True colors meaning he was worried about everyone and everything. Keith had yet to understand how someone could be so worried about him carrying around a bag with a textbook because Hunk sure had a list of reasons why it was bad.

But he contrasted Keith’s anger at the Garrison with a detached blunt and sarcastic attitude.

Surprisingly though, Hunk only showed that side when he felt he needed to do the right thing. Keith wouldn’t admit how much he appreciated Hunk coming into his life.

There was also the fact that Hunk was an Alpha and didn't come off as one  _ at all. _

If Keith was being honest, based on Hunk’s behavior he probably wouldn’t have noticed Hunk was an Alpha if he hadn’t gotten  a whiff of the guy during the first days of the semester. But Keith was very much aware that the stereotypical characteristics were just that. Stereotypes. 

Hunk was probably the kindest Alpha Keith knew.

It was still hard to try and explain why he wasn't comfortable around Hunk so much (he hadn't realized he had such an issue with it until he spent more time around him). But Hunk had taken it in stride and respected all boundaries Keith put up (the physical ones at least).

Hunk weaseled his way into Keith’s life one class at a time. He started including Keith in conversations and chats, and before he knew it, Hunk had started inviting him to go to out to lunch. Each time was at a new place Keith just had to try.

(When Keith once mentioned he had a craving for a lemon meringue pie, Hunk brought one the next day that made Keith cry.)

Keith would argue he wasn't a sucker for someone willing to buy food for him, but he was pregnant and Hunk really did know the best places whenever he had even the barest hint of a craving. If it was anyone else, Keith would probably worry it was making him gain more weight then he was supposed to. But Hunk was amazing and kind, and very attuned to his dietary needs. Once he saw the kind of foods Keith was eating, he gave Keith a stern interrogation about his diet. When Keith gave him a lost look, Hunk began to single handedly ensure Keith was eating healthy, meeting his nutritional needs, and taking prenatals. Thank God for Hunk.

Other than food, they had study groups and daily walks to the Dean's, cause their professor was an asshole who still believed Hunk had three kids at home when really all he had was a chubby orange cat named Pineapple (Keith had a picture of Pineapple with a party hat saved on his phone as Hunk’s contact photo). They were also extremely lucky that Iverson, the Dean in their department, saw Keith for his potential rather then his ability to conceive. Iverson had managed to give him some leeway with classes when it came to being graded unfairly, but had his hands tied in making it stop completely. It wasn’t fair, but Iverson knew enough loopholes to keep Keith going.

Hunk was also extremely smart, probably rivaling Pidge smart. The first time he introduced them, they had hit it off almost immediately (although he still remembers how Hunk would grab at her equipment when she was distracted telling Keith about her day. He got smacked on the hands for it and their friendship was set in stone).

Before he knew it, Hunk was his friend.

Pidge had even told him she liked him. When Keith mentioned it offhandedly, Hunk had stared at him. 

“Don't you have friends?” He asked aghast.

“Technically, you're my only friend.” Keith stopped for a second. “Pidge doesn't count, she’s like my gross other half.”

“Yeah, understandable.” Hunk agreed readily.

(He also burst out into tears when Keith had been on the phone with Colleen Holt and mentioned he was out with a friend. Apparently, Keith admitting to it made it real. Keith refused to admit he started crying as well. He had an excuse,  _ okay _ ?! Damn these hormones!)

There had been a shaky start to their friendship where Keith was concerned his pheromones were the only reason keeping Hunk there. It was well known that distressed Omegas (especially pregnant ones) could bring out the protective nature of an Alpha without even meaning to. He wasn't sure if he wanted to believe it. It just sounded like another fake ploy to call Omegas deceivers. 

Hunk was quick to shut that shit down in Hunk-esque fashion.

“Keith, the only time I've seriously seen you upset was in front of the professor. You're easy to destress with a bag of gummy worms. Your pheromones aren't keeping me here.”

Keith, with a bag of gummy worms in his lap, quickly countered with, “Then why are you still here with me?”

Hunk stared for a long time, hands on the steering wheel for his pick up. He shrugged helplessly. “I dunno man, cause you’re really good at bomber man?”

Keith blinked. “Hunk, my skills at a video game have nothing to do with you liking me?!”

“Look, look!” Hunk waved his hands out, trying to stop the argument. “I really like you, as like a friend! I think you're pretty cool! I don't need pheromones to decide who I wanna be friends with, I can decide that myself.”

It was a little embarrassing but satisfying. That was also the first night Hunk had chucked off his jacket and let Keith wear it. A sign of friendship (and maybe a bit or protective Alpha. They had been going out a lot lately and there was always a wandering eye for Keith. It's was disgusting, in both of their opinions, that because Keith was pregnant, Alphas thought it meant he was free game to hit on. There wasn't a mating mark on his neck and Keith only smelled like Pidge) that also served to encase Keith in his scent.

But the first time Keith smelled Hunk on the sweater he turned to mush. Hunk smelled like a fresh bakery with the hint of earth after it rained. The Omega in him probably needed the scent more than he thought and when he was in public and uncomfortable, Hunk’s scent was enough to calm him down. So stealing Hunk’s clothes was quickly becoming a thing for them. Hunk pretended not to notice but after Keith saw him handing a jacket over smelling way too much like him Keith knew he was in on it too (Keith also confiscated all of his jackets back from Pidge. Nothing would hide his mountain of a stomach but baggy clothes made him feel more comfy than many maternity wear Colleen encouraged him to buy).

Before either of them knew it, it was October and Keith and Pidge were starting to realize holy shit,  _ this baby is due in two months _ !!

Keith should have realized it sooner, he was the one carrying the kid after all. But he was caught up with school, work, and finding ways to alleviate back pain and swollen ankles. Oh and running to the bathroom every hour, day or night. The baby had started up kicking a few months prior, but it hadn’t bothered him until it was 2 A.M on a school night and he couldn’t get comfortable. On those days he would plop down on the sofa with a book, annoyed and tired, and read out loud. Pidge had jumped onto the band wagon once they realized the kid could hear them (anytime there was a loud noise there was always a sharp kick that scared the actual shit out of him more than the noise) and read every single book she could. She also helped him count the kicks every night, being an extra pair of hands on spots he couldn’t reach. Ten kicks in 10 minutes the ob/gyn had said. Keith and Pidge smiled at one another proudly. Each kick was a sign of a healthy child.

Pidge went to every ultrasound with him (if she didn't have class that was) and their fridge was littered with the small black and white photos. He had a feeling she was going to making a collage book. She enjoyed taking pictures (He might have to burn a few of them but unfortunately Pidge had backups to her backups).

The first time they had seen the baby had been… incredible. ‘The size of a green olive.’ 

It had been hard to imagine it in the ultrasound but the minute the heartbeat was heard Keith felt something in him clench helplessly. He had looked at Pidge and cried.

He had never wanted something in his life so hard. And just knowing this was his, his to bring into the world and raise was… heart wrenching. He'd watch this little person grow up into whoever they decided to grow up into and it just made him cry.

He wondered, just for an instant, if he had been wanted like this by his own mother. And then, he realized he would do everything he could for the life inside of him.

She was attached, as was he.

But some days were tough. He’d get scared every time he was left alone with his thoughts for too long. He had decided to bring this baby into the world, but now he was always worried about how he would end up as a father. He didn’t have good role models to base himself off. All he had was an overwhelming desire to make sure this baby had everything they needed to succeed in life. He wanted his kid to have a better life than he did.

It scared him sometimes when he realized that could all be taken away in an instant. He’d lay awake at night, humming gently to himself and just feeling the baby settle close to his ribs and his heart. On days when the baby was unnaturally quiet, Keith would gently poke and prod until he got a reassuring kick back. 

The closer he got, the more Pidge dotted on him, which was both wonderful and annoying. He loved Pidge, he really did, but she was starting to hover, and it was driving him insane. He was restricted from driving which she took in stride, willing to drive him wherever he needed to go. She made sure the shower mats were in place so he wouldn’t slip and fall. She was even more vigilant about his diet, getting him to his appointments, and making sure he was drinking enough water. (“I know you’re sick of peeing, but dehydration is the #1 cause of premature labor!”)

Keith knew a part of it was also because of the intrigue of it all. Getting to see the baby moving, listening to the heartbeat. It stirred something primal in them both.

It was endearing but also really annoying.

They were in the living room, Pidge in his lap as he brushed her hair. They watched crappy property buying shows and complained about them. Keith was fine, happy and comfortable while Pidge bounced in her seat (Or as comfortable as he could be with a belly the size of a whale).

“What’s with the hovering?” He blurted, unable to keep it to himself.

She stilled for a second, enough to let him know she hadn't expected to get caught. “Yeah, sorry. It’s just, you're in your third trimester.”

Keith looked down at his belly, “I think I've noticed.”

“Smart ass. But like, these are gonna be the toughest months. And we like, have no nursery ready for this kid. I'm just, really worried something is gonna happen.”

Keith swallowed, knowing he had been putting off this talk as well. “Pidge, I'm the one growing this kid. I know. But the hovering has gotta let up. I can cook my own meals and get ready.”

“Sometimes you can't get up on your own though.” She grumbled. He flushed, knowing that was true as well.

They sat in silence, Keith complaining about someone else on tv being bitchy about not getting what they wanted despite not having the money for it. He was nervous and stilled his hands from her hair.

“Pidge, what are we gonna do with this baby?”

She fell silent, the television the only thing between them before she leaned back on him. She purposely held her weight, not wanting to squish him. “You've been thinking about it to?”

“Yeah.” He sighed, rubbing at his forehead. “I mean, I've been saving for months. Even before I got pregnant. I got a pretty decent amount, but babies are expensive. We haven't even started looking. I've been putting this off and now we have a few months to prepare. Can we even keep the baby in the apartment?”

He became panicked in a second that Pidge leaped up to snatch at her laptop.

In seconds they were huddled around it, conducting research.

“We have to check in with our landlord. But at most we have about a year after the baby is due to find another place.”

“We can't afford another place.” Keith mumbled, watching her scroll down pages. “We could always check. Maybe there's a max 3 people for this place. We could always say we sleep in the same room and the baby gets a room?”

“I dunno.” She mumbled. “The lady saw you the other day and she definitely noticed your precious cargo. Maybe it's fine with her. Every landlord's different.”

“The neighbors had that kid a few years back and it was fine.” Keith remarked (eventually they learned they were protected under state and federal laws. They couldn’t be discriminated over having children).

Satisfied, Pidge clicked onto a different website.

A baby registry page.

He blew out a breath of air. “Fuck, let's do this.”

 

**Author's Note:**

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